Defender of Spain Cesar Aspilicueta shared his opinion about the upcoming World Cup.

The Spanish team will play in the group at the 2018 World Cup with Portugal (June 15), Iran (June 20) and Morocco (June 25).

"I've always watched World Cup matches, even when I was still too young to understand what was going on, and the first championship I remember well was in 1998 in France," said Aspiliaet to Chelsea's official website.

"Basically I then, of course, followed the Spanish team, but watched matches and other teams, because I just loved football. We were disappointed at major tournaments before Euro 2008, and then there was the 2010 World Cup, when we confidently declared ourselves as a strong team ".

"I remember watching the penalty shootout in the match against Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, and everyone around me was thinking" Well, again, we'll miss and lose, "but that did not happen, and when we won, everyone's face was relieved. And even on the faces of players who participated in the match. It was evident how the tension receded, and it became obvious that they had the strength to continue and succeed ".

"We reached the last stages and at previous tournaments, and sometimes we just had no luck, sometimes the judges made decisions not in our favor, but at that moment something switched, the mood of the winners appeared, everyone believed in success. With each tournament the team was getting stronger, and there were a lot of good players in the national team. The players were getting stronger, and when we won the trophy of Euro 2008, it became obvious to everyone that we came to stay ".

"I think it was at that time that the Spanish team began to turn into that super team, which is to this day, the team that won the Euro and the World Cup, and it was interesting to watch the game. We dream of doing it again ".

"In the group stage we will only have three matches, so we do not have the right to make a mistake. We start with a match against Portugal, and it will be very difficult, they are the current champions of Europe. But I think that, in fact, it's a great start, to play against the strongest - it's very good, and if you win in such a match, then you set the bar ".

"We are seriously preparing for the World Cup since the end of the season, we have a lot of time to spend in hotels. It is necessary that the head should remain clear, it is necessary not to lose concentration, understand the tasks facing you and do everything to make the first match in a great form ".

June 15, the Spanish national team will meet with the Portuguese team.

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